Percy Jones, 50

Percy Jones, 50, a black man, was stabbed to death about 11 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 24, in Westlake during a dispute in an alley near 7th and Hoover streets, near Koreatown.

Officer Julianne Sohn of the Los Angeles Police Department's media relations office said Jones was involved in a dispute with several men. She said the men began punching and kicking Jones, and one of them stabbed him several times with a knife. Jones was taken by ambulance to County-USC Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead the next day.

Family members said they learned about Jones' death from a coroner's investigator two days later. The investigator told the family that Jones was found in an alley and had died Monday morning at a hospital. His case, the investigator said, was being investigated as a homicide. 

Jones' uncle, Anthony Cook, said he couldn't believe it. He said his nephew had left for Lancaster that Sunday morning. He "didn't tell me he was going anywhere in downtown," Cook said. 

Family members searched for news stories on the Web about a possible homicide in the alley, but were frustrated to learn there had been no coverage on it. On Saturday, Aug. 30, Jones' family called The Times' newsdesk and were given details about his death.

"I'm stunned," Cook said. The coroner "told me they found him in the alley, but nothing about him being stabbed."

Cook's daughter, Tamiko, said her cousin liked to be outdoors and was trying to get his own apartment. She said Jones' longtime girlfriend died of a stroke in 2001. Shortly after, he had a hard time finding a place to live, often staying with relatives.

Tamiko Cook, 34, said her cousin had just returned from Lancaster the week before. She said when Jones' returned, he told the family that he was moving to Lancaster because rent was affordable and he had met a woman.

"He was looking for a ride," Anthony Cook said. "He left here walking."

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call LAPD Rampart homicide detectives at (213) 484-3450. Callers can remain anonymous.

-Ruben Vives/Los Angeles Times

(You have reached the end of the weekly listing of homicide victims in Los Angeles County, Aug. 25-31, 2008.)

Comments

[frank]

7th and Hoover is not near Koreatown, but in the middle of the Westlake district. This area is home to the 18th street gang. You hardly ever see a black person in that area, and now you know why. My guess is that he was being harassed by mexican street gang members and was killed for being black and in the wrong neighborhood. But of course this type of racial kiiling is ignored by the Mayor and city council member Reyes, they don't want anybody to know about the racial killings in Los Angeles.

[Hugo]

There's no way of knowing the circumstances leading up to this tragic killing. Just because a black man murdered in a predominantly Latino area does not automatically mean he was a victim of a racist killing. The fact he didn't tell his family he was going to the Westlake district might indicate he was a recovering addict (beside mexican gang members, the area has a bustling illicit drug trade too) and might have relapsed. It could have been a bar room brawl that got out of hand. But really, who knows? Let's allow investigators to get to the bottom of this before we start pointing fingers.

[Alice]

Several men punching and kicking him and one man stabbing him several times sounds like 18th Street. They caught a Black man in "their territory" alone and attacked him. Obviously somebody saw this attack, why is this blog not mentioning the race of the attackers like you usuually do?

[my condolences to the family]

To the family of this gentleman, i'm sorry. May the grace of God take you to place where the pain, mis-information and grief are lessened by His love. Blessings.

[Bev]

I was so sad to hear about the death of Percy Jones, and even sadder to hear about the way he died, I was with him and his uncle a week prior to his death and we had a conversation about the LOVE OF GOD, and how GOD LOVES US WITH A GREAT LOVE, I did not know it would be the last time I would speak to him, and it was devasting to think that another human would take a persons life in the matter in which they did. I am not appealing to the public to share information with us, but I hope that someone would come forward, I not asking the persons who murdered Mr. Jones to turn themseleves in, I just hope they do, they may have gotten by with murder, but they haven't gotten away, there is a higher justice and one day they will give account to their actions and justice will prevail, and this to will pass

Bev

[tamiko]

to the world my cousin percy jones wasn't involved with drug's and even if he was. why leave one community with drug trafficing to go so far to get it! that don't sound like reality.he was a cool person and loved kids,why prepare yourself to move and make a change and go purchus furniture if you were preparing to move. percy injoyed life! to me it sound exactly like a set up!!!!!!!!! it just time that we do something about what's going on in that district. but killing him was wronge.we are going to see into getting justis. he did not deserve to die that way at all. his family loved him dearly.

[neek]

I am a cousin of Percy Jones and no he was not a drug user and was killed wrongly. I am an assistant ditrict attorney in another state and am very disheartened by the manner in which the family has been excluded by the investigators. It would have helped to at least know from the investigators what happend to our family member and not from the articles. Percy's death has been treated as if he was a homeless person with no family and alot of the personal information in this article is incorrect, but to the world, Percy was a loving and giving person and loved life and his family he will be greatly missed and we pray that anyone with information into this case would contact the police. Rest in peace dear cousin and if this was racial, SHAME ON YOU!! God will be your Judge. Earth has no sorrow that heaven can't heal.

[Shamadaka]

Just wanted to let those who check in on this know that there are a couple guys in custody for my dads death.